Malawi at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

Last updated

Malawi at the
2016 Summer Paralympics
Flag of Malawi.svg
IPC code MAW
NPC Malawi Paralympic Committee
in Rio de Janeiro
Competitors1 in 1 sports
Flag bearer Taonere Banda
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
0
Summer Paralympics appearances (overview)

Malawi competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. The country's participation in Rio marked its debut appearance in the quadrennial event, although it had competed in the Summer Olympics ten times since the 1972 Games. The delegation consisted of a single middle-distance runner, Taonere Banda, who qualified for the games by using a wildcard. She was chosen as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony and was disqualified from her event, the 1500 metres (T13), for moving outside her lane during her heat.

Contents

Background

Malawi first competed in the Summer Olympics at the 1972 Games in Munich, Germany. They participated on ten occasions prior to the 2016 Summer Paralympics, where they made their Summer Paralympics debut in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the expectation of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1980 Summer Games in the Soviet Union, [1] the former because of a boycott relating to the New Zealand national rugby union team touring South Africa, and the latter because the country joined the United States-led boycott over the 1979 invasion of Afghanistan during the Soviet–Afghan War. [2] Malawi intended to make its first appearance in the Summer Paralympics at the 2012 Games in London but withdrew hours before the opening ceremony started because of a lack of funding. [3] The country participated in the Rio Paralympic Games from 7 to 18 September 2016. [4] Malawi was one of six countries to make their first appearance in the quadrennial event; the others were Aruba, Congo, Somalia, São Tomé and Príncipe and Togo. [5] They sent a single middle-distance runner, Taonere Banda, who was announced by the Malawi Paralympics Committee on 4 July, and was occupied by her coach George Luhanga. [6] Banda was the flag bearer for the opening ceremony. [4]

Disability classifications

Every participant at the Paralympics has their disability grouped into one of five disability categories; amputation, the condition may be congenital or sustained through injury or illness; cerebral palsy; wheelchair athletes, there is often overlap between this and other categories; visual impairment, including blindness; Les autres, any physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other categories, for example dwarfism or multiple sclerosis. [7] [8] Each Paralympic sport then has its own classifications, dependent upon the specific physical demands of competition. Events are given a code, made of numbers and letters, describing the type of event and classification of the athletes competing. Some sports, such as athletics, divide athletes by both the category and severity of their disabilities, other sports, for example swimming, group competitors from different categories together, the only separation being based on the severity of the disability. [9]

Athletics

The Estadio Olimpico Joao Havelange, where Banda competed in athletics events. Engenhao vista atras do gol.jpg
The Estádio Olímpico João Havelange, where Banda competed in athletics events.

Taonere Banda was the first Malawian Paralympic athlete to compete at the quadrennial event. [10] She qualified for the games by using a wildcard because the country did not have any athletes who met the qualification standards. [11] Banda spent the 60 days in the buildup to Rio training for the event, but amenities in Malawi were imperfect and she trained on a dusty, uneven running track without standard defined lanes. [12] She stated that it had been her childhood ambition to represent Malawi at a major international sporting event and this was her sole opportunity to prove her athletic abilities in her event, the 1500 metres (T13). [11] Banda was drawn in the first heat on 8 September. She attacked the first lap aggressively taking up a commanding lead, but her initial speed saw her tire in the latter stages and she lost the lead in the last 600 metres of the race to finish fourth. [13] Banda was later disqualified when she was observed to leave her lane during the heat. [10] Nevertheless, she said that when she returned to Malawi, she would encourage people with disabilities to work hard and participate in sporting events. [10]

Women's Track
AthleteEventsHeatFinal
TimeRankTimeRank
Taonere Banda 1500 m T12-13 Disqualifieddid not advance [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burkina Faso at the 2012 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Burkina Faso sent a delegation to the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, United Kingdom, from 29 August to 9 September 2012. This was the country's fifth appearance at a Summer Paralympic Games. The Burkinese delegation to London consisted of two athletes, Lassane Gasbeogo and Kadidia Nikiema, who competed in wheelchair cycling at the Brands Hatch race circuit in Kent. Neither athlete won any medals in their respective events, with the best finish of Burkina Faso at these Paralympics coming from Nikiema in the women's road trial H3 race with a sixth-place result.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Namibia at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Namibia competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Togo at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Togo competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. The country's participation in Rio marked its debut appearance in the quadrennial event, although it had competed in the Summer Olympics nine times since the 1972 Games. The delegation consisted of a single lightweight powerlifter, Aliou Bawa, who qualified by being issued with a Bipartite Commission Invitation spot by the International Paralympic Committee. Bawa was the flag bearer for the opening ceremony. Bawa failed to record a mark in the men's 49 kg category after being unable to lift 113 kilograms of weight in his three attempts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somalia at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Somalia competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. The country's participation in Rio marked its debut appearance in the quadrennial event, although it had competed in the Summer Olympics nine times since the 1972 Games. The delegation consisted of a single middle-distance runner, Farhan Adawe, who qualified for the Games by meeting qualification standards in March 2016. He was chosen as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony and came ninth overall in his event, the men's 100 metres (T52), which led to his elimination from the Paralympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senegal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Senegal sent a delegation to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 to 18 September 2016. This was the fourth successive appearance for the nation in a Summer Paralympic Games after it debuted at the 2004 Summer Paralympics. Youssouphua Diouf, a javelin thrower, and shot put and discus thrower Daque Diop were the two athletes sent to Rio de Janeiro by Senegal. The delegation failed to win the country's first medal at the Summer Paralympics as its best performance in these Games was Diouf's seventh position in the men's javelin F56-57 event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">São Tomé and Príncipe at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

São Tomé and Príncipe competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. The country's participation in Rio marked its debut appearance in the quadrennial event, although it had competed in the Summer Olympics six times since the 1996 Games. The delegation consisted of a single short-distance runner Alex Anjos, who was chosen as São Tomé and Príncipe's flag bearer for the opening ceremony. Anjos was disqualified from the men's 100 metres (T47) for arriving late and failed to advance into the final of the men's 400 metres (T47) after failing to set a fast enough lap time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mozambique at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Mozambique sent a delegation to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 to 18 September 2016. This was the country's second time competing at a Summer Paralympic Games after making its debut at the 2012 Summer Paralympics. Mozambique was represented by one athlete, Edmilisa Governo, a short-distance sprinter. She competed in two events, the women's 100 metres T12 competition and the women's 400 metres T12. Governo reached the semi-finals of the women's 100 metres T12 and took Mozambique's first Paralympic Games medal in the women's 400 metres T12 by placing third in the final of the competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mauritius at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Mauritius sent a delegation to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7–18 September 2016. This was the fifth time the country had taken part in a Paralympic Games after its debut at the 1996 Summer Paralympics. The Mauritian delegation to Rio de Janeiro consisted of two athletes: wheelchair racer Brandy Perrine and short-distance swimmer Scody Victor. The nation's best result was tenth overall by Perrine in the women's 100 metres T54 event as both competitors did not progress to the final in their respective competitions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesotho at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Lesotho sent a delegation to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 to 18 September 2016. This was the fifth time the country competed in the Summer Paralympic Games after it made its debut sixteen years prior at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics. The delegation to Rio de Janeiro consisted of two athletes: sprinter Sello Mothebe and discus thrower Litsitso Khotele. Mothebe originally came third in the heats of the men's 200 metres T12 and the men's 400 metres T12 events but he was retroactively disqualified for testing positive for a banned substance. Khotele ranked tenth in the women's discus throw F43–44 competition with a throw of 19.91 metres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Republic of the Congo at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

The Republic of the Congo competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016. The country made its debut appearance in the Paralympics at Rio, though they had participated in eleven Summer Olympics prior to the opening of the 2016 Paralympics. They sent a single competitor, track and field athlete Bardy Bouesso. Bouesso was the flagbearer at the opening ceremony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Botswana at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Botswana sent a delegation to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 to 18 September 2016. This was the country's second time competing at a Summer Paralympic Games after making its debut at the 2004 Summer Paralympics. Botswana was represented by one athlete, Keatlaretese Mabote, a short-distance sprinter. He competed in one event, the men's 400 metres T12 competition, where he was eliminated in the heat stages because he was third in his heat and only the top two participants in a heat progressed to the semi-finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicaragua at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Nicaragua sent a delegation to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7–18 September 2016. This was the Central American country's third appearance at the Summer Paralympic Games, having made its debut twelve years earlier at the 2004 Summer Paralympics. They were represented by three athletes, sprinter Jennifer Osejo, middle-distance runner and sprinter Gabriel Cuadra Holmann and powerlifter Fernando Acevedo, who all qualified for the games by achieving the minimum qualifying standard in international competition. Neither Holmann or Osejo claimed a medal in their respective events and Acevado finished fifth in the men's −72kg powerlifting class.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Salvador at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

El Salvador sent a delegation to compete in the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. This was the country's fifth successive appearance in the Summer Paralympics since debuting at the 2000 Summer Paralympics. The Salvadoran delegation to Rio consisted of one athlete, powerlifter Herbert Aceituno, who qualified for the Games through his world ranking of 13th and his participation was confirmed by the International Paralympic Committee in August 2016. He failed to lift 185 kilograms (408 lb) in three attempts during the men's 72 kg tournament and was therefore not ranked in the final standings by the judges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aruba at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Aruba competed in the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. The country's participation in Rio marked its debut appearance in the quadrennial event, although it had competed in the Summer Olympics eight times since the 1988 Games. The delegation consisted of a single short-distance swimmer, Jesus De Marchena Acevedo, who qualified for the Games by using a wildcard. He was chosen as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony and was disqualified from the first discipline he took part in, men's 50 metres freestyle (S7), for arriving late but later placed last overall in the 100 metres freestyle (S7).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakistan at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Pakistan competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. The country's participation in Rio marked its seventh appearance in the quadrennial event. The delegation consisted of the long jump competitor Haider Ali who qualified for the Games by meeting the required standards for the men's long jump T37 in a March 2016 event held in Dubai. On 13 September, he won Pakistan's second Paralympic medal with a mark of 6.28 metres in his event, placing him third.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malta at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Malta competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. The country's participation in Rio marked its ninth appearance at the quadrennial event with the exception of the years between 1988 and 2004. The delegation consisted of one short-distance swimmer, Vladyslava Kravchenko, who was announced as the country's representative in April 2016. She was chosen as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony. Kravchenko competed in three swimming events but failed to advance into the final of each event as her times in her respective competitions were not fast enough to qualify for the later stages of each contest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moldova at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Moldova sent a delegation to participate at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 to 18 September 2016. This was the Eastern European's country sixth appearance in the Summer Paralympic Games since their debut twenty years prior at the 1996 Summer Paralympics. Moldova sent three athletes to these Games, shot put thrower Oxana Spataur, powerlifter Larisa Marinenkova and short-distance swimmer Alexandr Covaliov. Spataur qualified on merit and Covaliov and Marienkova were invited by the Bipartite Commission. Neither Spataur or Covaliov advanced out of the heats of their events and Marienkova finished seventh in the women's 73kg powerlifting category.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faroe Islands at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

The Faroe Islands sent a delegation to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7–18 September 2016. They sent one participant, Krista Mørkøre, who participated in three events in swimming. Her top finish was 10th in women's 400 m freestyle S10, and she did not qualify for the finals of any of her three events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyprus at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Cyprus sent a delegation to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 to 18 September 2016. This was the island country's eighth consecutive appearance in a Summer Paralympiad having made its debut at the 1988 Summer Paralympics. The Cypriot delegation to Rio de Janeiro consisted of two athletes: sprinter Antonis Aresti and short-distance swimmer Karolina Pelendritou. Aresti placed sixth overall in the men's 400 metres T47 event and Pelendritou came fourth in the 100 metres breaststroke SB13 competition after losing the bronze medal by 20 cm (7.9 in) in the final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taonere Banda</span> Malawian middle-distance runner

Taonere Banda is a middle-distance para-sport athlete from Malawi who competes mainly in middle-distance events in the T13 category. In 2016 Banda became the first athlete to represent Malawi at a Paralympic Games when she was selected to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.

References

  1. "Countries – Malawi". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  2. Mallon, Bill; Heijmans, Jeroen (2011). Historical Dictionary of the Olympic Movement. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. pp. 69–70 & 77–78. ISBN   978-0-8108-7522-7.
  3. Hirsch, Afua; Mapondera, Godfrey (30 August 2012). "Paralympics 2012: Malawi and Botswana withdraw teams". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Malawi to make history at Rio Paralympic Games". Nyasa Times . 27 August 2016. Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  5. Herbert, Ian (6 September 2016). "Paralympics 2016: With more athletes and bigger TV deals, Rio can build on London's legacy". The Independent . Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  6. "Sightsavers sponsors Malawian Paralympic hopeful". Sightsavers. 6 July 2016. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  7. McGarry, Andrew (3 September 2008). "Paralympics categories explained". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Archived from the original on 12 September 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  8. "Making sense of the categories". BBC Sport . 6 October 2000. Archived from the original on 28 May 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  9. "A-Z of Paralympic classification". BBC Sport. 28 August 2008. Archived from the original on 1 March 2009. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Tejada, Chloe (15 September 2016). "Athlete Makes History By Becoming Malawi's First-Ever Paralympian". The Huffington Post . Archived from the original on 25 February 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  11. 1 2 Manda, Solomon (6 July 2016). "Banda promises Rio Paralympic gold". The Nation . Archived from the original on 4 August 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  12. "Rio 2016: Malawi's first and only Paralympian". BBC Sport. 15 September 2016. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  13. "A remarkable race". Sightsavers. 8 September 2016. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.